‘Tender Land’ Opera Returns to Its Roots : Music: Dairy farm is the first stop as university theater launches a rural tour of American composer Aaron Copland’s agrarian work.

The conductor wore jeans and a velvet jacket, a cat darted onto the stage, the cows kept quiet, and a cold wind carried the music--along with a distinctive scent--to the audience.

It was hardly a classic setting for opera--but that’s why a central Minnesota dairy farm became the “stage” recently for a performance intended to prove that cows and culture can coexist.

More than 700 people huddled on a chilly night in bleachers and folding chairs in Gordon and Kathryn Berg’s front yard as the University of Minnesota School of Music Opera Theatre launched a two-week farm tour of American composer Aaron Copland’s agrarian opera, “The Tender Land.”

For this performance, the farm was closer to reality than a theater could ever be.

“I don’t know of any opera that’s been performed on a farm before,” said director Vern Sutton. “But this is the only opera I know of that takes place on a farm.”

Set in the 1930s on a Midwestern farm, the opera tells the story of Laurie, who is about to graduate from high school when she falls in love with a drifter looking for work. She plans to run away with him, but he leaves without her. Laurie decides to leave the farm anyway, and her mother then looks to her younger daughter to continue the family cycle.

“About 15 years ago, I saw this opera in a theater,” Sutton said. “They had built a farm on stage. I thought, how redundant. They’ve built a farm on stage. Why not just take it out and do it on a farm?”

Assistant director Linda Fisher stressed that the opera tour to farms in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota was not being done with the idea of bringing culture to rural areas.

“The culture is already there. They have fine-tuned ears. They have access to good music, and they enjoy good music. This is not the only good music they will ever hear,” Fisher said.

On a farm, there was little need for scenery or props. The barnyard aroma was very real. So were the birds that added their notes to those played by a 13-piece orchestra ensconced in a garage-turned-orchestra pit.

At one point a sleek brown cat shared the limelight with the singers and stared at the audience. The farm’s cows were silent during the performance, but beforehand Holsteins lined a fence to watch the opera-goers walk from a parking area to the farmyard.

Despite temperatures in the 50s and occasional mist, few people left before the end of the 2 1/2-hour performance, which used local residents in a chorus that backed up nine university singers.

“I love it,” said Edna Hayes of nearby Motley, who joined the rest of the audience in a standing ovation.

“That was great!” one woman said to her companion as they left the farmyard. “I wanted another act yet.”

Though nearly 40 years old, the opera’s story still strikes a chord of relevance with a rural audience, Sutton said.

“A girl graduates from high school and is questioning whether she wants to stay on the farm or leave,” he said. “I find this is still a very strong question. It speaks of values, being a part of the land.”